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Somerset Drag Strip

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Our57, Nov 13, 2009.

  1. Our57
    Joined: Nov 2, 2009
    Posts: 60

    Our57
    Member

    Heres a few shots taken at Somerset Drag Strip that was located a few miles west of down town Somerset Kentucky on rt 80. These were taken in the summer of '65. Check out the home built dragsters. One with Chevy 409/425 4 speed and factory chrome dual snorkel air cleaner and the other looks like maby a nail head.
    Anyone that knows anything about the track or any cars that ran there please feel free to reply and add your stories, pictures.
    If you have anything, photos, newspaper clippings, trophies, memorabilia or just stories let me know.
     

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    Countn'Carbs and JB_roadrage like this.
  2. brandon
    Joined: Jul 19, 2002
    Posts: 6,368

    brandon
    Member

    if you didn't see the impala and stuff you'd swear it was around 58 or so....:D did you guys ever go to manchester and climb the hill.....?
     
  3. Our57
    Joined: Nov 2, 2009
    Posts: 60

    Our57
    Member

    No, never went to manchester. Fill me in on the hill.
     
  4. Our57
    Joined: Nov 2, 2009
    Posts: 60

    Our57
    Member

    in '65 Somerset was about like other parts of the country were in '58.
    Thats not a slam on Kentucky by the way, I love it there & always have.
     

  5. low budget
    Joined: Nov 15, 2006
    Posts: 5,566

    low budget
    Member
    from Central Ky

  6. brandon
    Joined: Jul 19, 2002
    Posts: 6,368

    brandon
    Member

    a buddy of mine that ran there , told me of having to be pulled up the hill to get to the track. but as a side note...the HILL is a local track that has been open since 53.... called thornhill in kenton ky. still running from april til end of october. a shot from 05... this track also used to have a pair of large timing clocks instead of a christmas tree. they were sold in 94 or 95 ish , after the original owner died. brandon :D
     

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  7. olddrags
    Joined: Oct 19, 2006
    Posts: 476

    olddrags
    Member
    from ky

    I never had the opportunity to go to the Somerset track, I have heard bits and pieces about the track, I think from what I've heard the track closed in the late 60's. Got a good friend in Somrset, I'll do some more checkin' .I found this little jewell at a swap meet in Bowling Green!
     

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  8. Our57
    Joined: Nov 2, 2009
    Posts: 60

    Our57
    Member

    olddrags, I just now saw your reply ( I know i'm a little behind to say the least). If you ever want to sell that trophy i'll buy it. I've been looking for one for a long time.
     
  9. 35touring
    Joined: Dec 4, 2009
    Posts: 462

    35touring
    Member
    from Kentucky

    Here's a few I got from there, you have any more?

    Pretty sure the Willys is Peanut Moore.
     

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  10. Very cool thread!
     
  11. dalesdeadbug
    Joined: Oct 28, 2010
    Posts: 36

    dalesdeadbug
    Member
    from cincinnati

    i love thornhill, thats one of the last good old dragstrips around. just about anything goes, ive run my 63 top-down no seatbelts and no helmet. gotta love a good laidback dragstrip
     
  12. Model A John
    Joined: Apr 24, 2008
    Posts: 1,771

    Model A John
    Member
    from wichita ks

    Love those cars!
     
  13. smalljaws
    Joined: Jul 5, 2010
    Posts: 21

    smalljaws
    Member
    from corbin ky

    Wow somerset drag strip was a fun place in the early 60's thanks for posting brings back a lot of good memories. John Corbin Ky
     
  14. 35touring
    Joined: Dec 4, 2009
    Posts: 462

    35touring
    Member
    from Kentucky

    anyone else got any old Somerset, Campbellsville, Cedar Creek, Bluegrass photos? Old Kentucky dragstrips that are long gone.
     
  15. KING CHASSIS
    Joined: Aug 28, 2005
    Posts: 1,862

    KING CHASSIS
    Member

    Thanks, great old photos!
     
  16. Our57
    Joined: Nov 2, 2009
    Posts: 60

    Our57
    Member

    Wow, thanks for sharing the photos. Yes, that's Peanut Moore he always ran Pontiacs. I don't know whose 55 that is though. I have a few more pics & will try to post them soon. I go over and drive down the track every time I am in Somerset. Anyone know what year the track closed, I know it was in the early 70s because my uncle raced his new 70 SS 396 chevelle there before it closed.
     
  17. Our57
    Joined: Nov 2, 2009
    Posts: 60

    Our57
    Member

    Share some of those great Somerset stories with us John.
     
  18. Our57
    Joined: Nov 2, 2009
    Posts: 60

    Our57
    Member

    Anybody know where the Peanut Moore Willys is today. A few of my closest friends are into Willys in a big way, one of them owns Fred Hursts old car.
     
  19. 35touring
    Joined: Dec 4, 2009
    Posts: 462

    35touring
    Member
    from Kentucky

    Have no idea, there was a Willys many years later in the area painted Blue that was the same front end on it.
     
  20. 35touring
    Joined: Dec 4, 2009
    Posts: 462

    35touring
    Member
    from Kentucky

    our57, ever get the other Somerset photos scanned?
     
  21. AllenK
    Joined: Dec 12, 2010
    Posts: 220

    AllenK
    Member

    There is also a Racetrack Road north of Somerset. We saw it both times we went to Somernites. Anybody know anything about that? Great pics BTW!
     
  22. 35touring
    Joined: Dec 4, 2009
    Posts: 462

    35touring
    Member
    from Kentucky

    not sure about that, I think it is a mobile home park now.
     
  23. Our57
    Joined: Nov 2, 2009
    Posts: 60

    Our57
    Member

    Race Track road north of town is where the old dirt oval track was. If you turn onto Race Track Road, go over the railroad track the road goes up hill then turns sharply to the left, right there on the left is where the dirt track was. The dirt track ran on Friday nights and the drag strip ran on Saturday nights. The old drag strip is on old 80 west of town and is a trailer park now and is named Raceway road.
     
  24. AllenK
    Joined: Dec 12, 2010
    Posts: 220

    AllenK
    Member

    I looked on Google Maps before we went up there this year. It looks like a new interchange has wiped out the remains of the old dirt track,but I will look again. You could kinda see the outline of the old track before,but not now. Thanks for the info!
     
  25. harald
    Joined: Mar 5, 2009
    Posts: 80

    harald
    Member

    Cool photos and stories.Those two dragsters sure are cool, bare minimum design.I wonder if you would be allowed to race something like that now?
     
  26. 35touring
    Joined: Dec 4, 2009
    Posts: 462

    35touring
    Member
    from Kentucky

    would love to find some old photos from there plus Campbellsville Dragway, Cedar Creek Dragway & Bluegrass Dragway, all closed for many years.
     
  27. low budget
    Joined: Nov 15, 2006
    Posts: 5,566

    low budget
    Member
    from Central Ky

    I also would love to see any photo or here any story about campbellsville dragstrip.
    I know where dragway lane is and it still has 2 strips of blacktop there but some nice houses back there now.
     
  28. 64Cyclone
    Joined: Aug 30, 2009
    Posts: 1,496

    64Cyclone
    Member

    That car is bad!!! :cool:

    (frt axle set up looks a little quirky though)
     

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  29. Very cool pics. Thanks for sharing them. Would have loved to have been there that day!
     
  30. 64Cyclone
    Joined: Aug 30, 2009
    Posts: 1,496

    64Cyclone
    Member

    I couldn't have fit in...nobody is wearing jeans! A fashionable crowd though.
     

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